Beirut: Are you planning a Day Trip?

While Beirut offers abundant sightseeing and urban activities, a day trip outside the city is highly recommended. For travellers with extra time, consider adding one, or all, of the following to your itinerary.

A Day Trip to Byblos.

History.

As the world’s oldest known continuously inhabited city, Byblos has many stories to tell.

The first settlement is said to have been by a community of fishermen around 8,000BC. The coastal town sitting on a sandstone cliff allowed perfect access to the fruits of the Mediterranean Sea.

Credit for building the city is given to Cronus, son of Greek gods Uranus (sky) and Gaia (earth), as the first city in Phoenicia.

As with most of these high-powered families, Cronus killed his father and Zeus, son of Cronus returned the favour.

The multi Pulitzer-Prize-winning Historian, Will Durant who wrote The Story of Civilization with his wife Ariel, said:

“Byblos thought itself the oldest of all cities; the god El had founded it at the beginning of time, and to the end of its history it remained the religious capital of Phoenicia.”

Regardless of when Byblos was founded, settled or built, we know thousands of years have passed and there have been many rulers.

The coveted Cedar Tree, represented today on Lebanon’s national flag, was an important resource for both building and papyrus bringing great wealth to Byblos through trade with Egypt and the world.

The relationship with Egypt not only brought material wealth to the city but culture and religious influences too. In 1284BC Egyptian control of the Phoenician coast put King Ramses11 in power influencing Byblos further.

With papyrus being such an important trading commodity the Phoenicians named the city with the Greek word for book biblos. The Books – Ta Biblia named the bible.

An ancient Phoenician inscription carved on the sarcophagus of Phoenician King Ahiram (found in the excavation of Byblos) draws a direct line to our contemporary alphabet.

The Phoenicians were known for their sailing abilities and Byblos is said to be where shipbuilding began. 480BC saw Phoenician ships join forces with Persia against Greece in the Battle of Salamis.

Byblos is a UNESCO World Heritage site protected for the most part by urban development, although new developments in the port area are being considered.

The distinguishing elements of a medieval town still exist – the protective wall, a cathedral, the castle and its donjon (a massive tower inside the castle).

Ottoman-style modifications also remain – souqs, mosques, khans (inns) and distinctive housing from the time of Ottoman rule.

Although the Greek “Byblos” has stuck, the town is known in Arabic as Jbeil (Jbail) and that’s what you’ll see signposted on your 40-kilometre journey from Beirut.

Crusader Castle.

Byblos Castle replaced an earlier stronghold and the Crusaders reused the stones to build their fortress.

Originally surrounded by a moat, the castle consists of a courtyard with 4 towers in each corner and a fifth on the northern wall to protect the entrance.

The arrow loops fashioned into the castle’s walls were set at an angle reducing the risk to the bowman.

Massive columns bear the weight of equally huge stone blocks and displayed are some of the construction methods used in building the castle.

Byblos Site Museum inside the castle displays artefacts found within the archaeological site outside.

Photographs of pieces housed in the National Museum of Beirut hang on the 12th-century walls. (For historians and students of archaeology, a visit to the National Museum of Beirut is recommended to see these pieces in person)

One house is left on the excavation site representing typical Lebanese architecture. A 4 walled block with the traditional triple arched windows.

The rest of the area was cleared in order to get to the layers beneath. It’s here where King Ahiram’s sarcophagus was discovered.

It’s advisable to invest in a guide for the tour of the castle and excavation site. Ask if Hyame Khoury is available. An archaeologist herself, she has studied this site extensively and turns an interesting excursion into a fascinating one.

Had Hyame not been with us I would never have climbed into a grave site in the bowels of the earth!

The views of the Mediterranean coast north across Byblos and south to Beirut are breath-taking.

Stand for a moment in the amphitheatre and imagine witnessing Roman speeches and performances.

Tickets to Byblos Castle can be bought at the ticket office at the entrance. 6000LBP for foreigners (about US$4.00) adding a guide will be extra.

Tours are offered through Viator/ Tripadvisor and other operators usually including Jeita Grotto, Harissa or both. These can be bought online and prices vary.

From our experience, to really appreciate what Byblos has to offer it requires a full day. Here are a few reasons why.

Byblos Souqs.

Built during Ottoman rule the meandering alleyways from the entrance to the harbour were once filled with horse stables, inns and trading stores.

Today, bars and restaurants offer a host of traditional and contemporary options while shops sell souvenirs, clothing, accessories and beautifully designed homewares.

Stop in for a heart-starter at Bar Italia. An espresso, Café Corretto (espresso with a shot of grappa) or an Espresso Martini will put a spring in your step while making friends with Chabel.

Traditional Lebanese mezze is around every corner but the chargrills with rotisseries are perfect for sharing a feast with friends.

Jewellery stores twinkle in the afternoon light and al fresco seating with outdoor heating in the cobbled courtyard is a great spot to watch the world go by.

Byblos Harbour.

Strolling Byblos Harbour while the sun sets is not only free, it’s priceless.

Watch fishermen bringing in their catch while taking in the fabulous views of not only the Mediterranean Sea but the beautiful city of Byblos.

For seafood lovers, this is where you need to #eat. Highly recommended is Bab El Mina. A multi-level restaurant with incredible views of the harbour. Make your way almost to the centre of the harbour curve and there it is.

Prawns provençal (lemon, oil, garlic, herbs), always char-grilled occy, rocket and crab salad, and Poisson (fish) kibbeh were all divine. Try not to over-order (it’ll be a challenge) complimentary fruit and dessert are served and it would be rude not to accept. 😉

A Day Trip to Anjar, Baalbeck & Ksara.

The Bonds have travelled extensively, independently and as a couple. A 2-year stint with the Peace Corp in Jordan provided opportunities for the couple to travel this region.

With a combination of Arabic skills, a degree in Middle Eastern Studies and microfinance experience, the Bonds design trips to help travellers consider how they spend their money to contribute to the sustainable and equitable development of their destinations.

A Half Day Trip to Jeita Grotto.

Twenty kilometres northeast of Beirut a series of interconnected caves have been the subject of curiosity since 1836.

Although exploration continued intermittently since the first discovery, it wasn’t until the Lebanese Caving Club (Speleo Club Du Liban) made it their mission in the 1940s to fully explore until 9 kilometres of underground caverns were exposed.

Along the 750-metre path in the Upper Grotto expect to see enormous formations resembling curtains, chandeliers and mushrooms.

In the Lower Grotto, an electric boat tour introduces you to extraordinary sights, among them, Shangri-La and the Pantheon.

Cheers, James. Your photography skills will be in overdrive in Lebanon. The architecture, especially in the evening with the backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea is spectacular. I’m looking forward to seeing your shots when you get to Lebanon. 🙂

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9 months ago

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Daniel

This is a destination I had never considered.. Until Now !!, thank you so much for sharing these beautiful sites so rich in history and beauty

Lebanon is certainly rich in history Daniel. The further you dig the more you find. We were so grateful for Hyame’s knowledge of Byblos. She really made our adventure a treat and next time we’ll get out to Baalbeck & the wine region. Albert & Carrie made it look fascinating. 🙂

This is another post I have been eager to read! I guessed you wouldn’t just tell us about your trip to Beirut and there would be more to come, and this is it! Some more fascinating places to visit with wonderful history just a day trip away! Thanks ms for sharing #feetdotravel

I am a big history fan so you can imagine how excited I get when I read about places like Byblos and Baalbeck. I would love to see those places one day. I like that you can combine a visit to these places with good food, markets and nature. #feetdotravel

The history in this region is incredible, Ruth, you would love it! We had a wonderful time exploring and the Bonds certainly made me want to return to check out Anjar, Baalbeck & Chateau Ksara. We had a few bottles of Ksara wines so I’d love to see where it’s made. 🙂

What a fascinating journey to wander with a guide around Byblos Castle. The Jeita Grotto also caught my eye as a wonderful place to see. Great food and activities is a place I would love to visit. Stunning photos and thanks for sharing! Pinned for later. #feetdotravel

Having Hyame show us Byblos Castle rather than wandering around alone was something we really appreciated, Stephanie. She had so many stories to tell that we wouldn’t have heard had we relied on the signage alone. Byblos was such a great day trip, it would have been fab to spend a few days in the area. The longer we were there the more we heard about other villages close by worth visiting. We’ll just have to go back. 😉

Fascinating post and it’s so interesting to read about a country I know so little about. Byblos looks incredible and I would love to check out the Crusader Castle and the souqs! Really interesting stuff

It was so worth getting Hyame to guide us through the Crusader Castle and the excavation site. She filled in so many gaps that had we done it alone we wouldn’t have known half as much coming out. I love ancient history and being at the excavation site really brings it home. You can see the layers of civilisation. 🙂

It is a fascinating part of the world, Tracy. Byblos holds so much history and its beautiful location on the Mediterranean Sea doesn’t hurt either. The more I learn about Lebanon, the more I want to return and cover what I missed. 🙂

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9 months ago

Guest

Amber

I really want to visit Beirut and you’ve just convinced me! Those pictures are fabulous and it looks amazing!

Next time we will check out Byblos! Thanks for all the info. We appreciate the mention in your post! We hope it encourages other travelers to not only visit Lebanon, but to venture into the countryside.

Your info on Baalbeck, Anjar & Chateau Ksara is appreciated too, Albert. I’ll definitely be including that day trip on my next itinerary. I’ll be looking at country villages and farm stays next time too. The wild thyme in the salad we had at Mayrig got me thinking, what a great way to give a little back by helping out in rural areas for a few days. To be continued…. 😉